In the middle of a war zone, flying a drone is not as simple as using a joystick and watching a screen. Ukrainian pilots face a huge challenge — Russian electronic jamming blocks the GPS signals that drones usually rely on.
Drones Flying Blind in the War Zone
Without GPS, the drone doesn’t know where it is. Even the pilot can’t be sure of its location. This makes it extremely difficult to control the drone or send it to a specific target.
Normally, drones use GPS, a system of satellites that helps everything from smartphones to military weapons know where they are. But in eastern Ukraine, where most of the fighting is happening, GPS just doesn’t work. Russian jamming technology cuts off the connection, leaving the drones confused and lost.
Instead of giving up, Ukrainian drone operators have found a creative way to fly. They look for unusual landmarks on the ground — things that stand out. These can be strange-shaped buildings, odd intersections, small lakes, or even oddly-shaped trees. These unique features help them figure out where the drone is and where it needs to go.
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This method is not easy. In many areas of eastern Ukraine, everything looks the same. There are long, flat fields and forests that repeat over and over. This makes it very difficult for the pilot to tell one area from another. But still, drone teams try to spot something — anything — that can act like a signpost in the sky.
Jamming Turns the Sky Into a Puzzle
Electronic warfare is a major part of the battle between Ukraine and Russia. One of the main tools is GPS jamming. This sends out signals that confuse or block the GPS on drones and other weapons. When a drone loses its GPS, it might think it is in one spot, but it’s actually somewhere else entirely.
This confusion can be dangerous. A drone that doesn’t know where it is can’t hit the right target. Worse, it might crash or even return to the wrong place. Wind and weather also push drones off course. Without GPS, it’s like walking through a maze blindfolded.
To deal with this, drone pilots have to rely on their eyes. They watch what the drone’s camera is showing and try to match it with maps or satellite images. If they see a lake, they check the map for a lake nearby. If there’s a strange-looking building, they try to find it on the satellite photo.
Operators talk with each other and compare what they see. They describe buildings, roads, or anything that looks different. Once they recognize where the drone is, they decide which way to go. It takes teamwork, patience, and a sharp eye.
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Because of the flat land and similar-looking terrain, it’s extra hard in the east. Trees, fields, and roads repeat again and again, like a copy-and-paste picture. That’s why even the smallest difference — like a single oddly-shaped building — becomes very important.
Cheap Drones, Big Impact
Drones have changed how wars are fought. They come in many shapes and sizes — some are as small as birds, others are as big as airplanes. Ukraine is using them in huge numbers. They are used for spying, guiding artillery, dropping bombs, and even flying directly into targets to explode.
Even though they are cheap compared to tanks or fighter jets, drones have destroyed expensive military equipment worth millions. This makes them a valuable weapon, especially for Ukraine, which has fewer large weapons and aircraft.
But with more drones in the sky, both sides are also trying to stop each other. This is where jamming comes in. If one side can jam the other’s drones, they gain an advantage. That’s why both Ukraine and Russia are building better jamming tools, and smarter drones to beat those tools.
One new type of drone avoids GPS altogether by using a cable — like a super-long wire — that connects it directly to the operator. This wire carries all the control signals and the video feed. Because it’s a physical connection, it can’t be jammed. Another kind of system uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help navigate without relying on GPS.
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But even with new technology, many drone pilots still rely on their eyes and their brains. They scan the view from above, find odd shapes on the ground, and use them as guides. A strange building might look silly to most people, but to a drone pilot in a GPS blackout, it’s a lifeline.
In this high-tech war, old-fashioned tricks like landmark spotting are proving to be just as important as satellites and sensors. Whether it’s a pond, a crooked tree, or a weird rooftop, anything that helps the drone find its way is worth remembering.
